Tissue sections from 80 human
breast carcinomas have been examined for evidence of binding of the two
fucose-specific lectins, Lotus tetragonolobus and Ulex europeus I, with
enzymes utilized as an
indicator system. Both single-staining and double-staining methods (Lotus tetragonolobus-
peroxidase and Ulex europeus I-
alkaline phosphatase) have been employed. In contrast to normal breast in which there is consistent reactivity of all epithelium with Lotus tetragonologus a variable loss of binding has been found within
carcinomas. Surprisingly, this bears no relationship to tumour differentiation; nor does it correlate with local
lymph node metastasis. Ulex europeus I has a variable reactivity with
carcinomas, as it does with normal breast epithelium, and this likewise has no correlation with differentiation. However, a relationship has been found between specific patterns of binding and axillary lymph node status. The value of using two
lectins with the same major
sugar specificity but having different binding affinities is illustrated in this study, in which differences in behavioural characteristics have been identified between
fucose-containing glyco-conjugates having minor structural variations.